The Ukrainian government has decided to temporarily close the checkpoints of entry into the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and exit from it, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Oleh Nemchinov said following an extraordinary government meeting on Saturday.

This is linked to the instruction of the President of Ukraine to the Cabinet of Ministers to revise the mode of operation of the checkpoint of entry into the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The decision is aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 on the territory of Ukraine, Nemchinov wrote in his Telegram channel.

"Thus, the work of checkpoints of entry into and exit from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol will temporarily stop from 8:00 on August 9, 2020 until 8:00 on August 30, 2020, except for the passage of Ukrainian citizens and their families:

- whose place of residence is registered in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or the city of Sevastopol in accordance with the procedure established by law, as well as their vehicles, cargo and other property – for entry;

- whose place of residence is registered in the manner prescribed by law outside the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or the city of Sevastopol, as well as their vehicles, cargo and other property – for exit; who agreed to self-isolate using the Diy vdoma application of the unified public website of electronic services from the moment of crossing the checkpoints of entry into the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and exit from it;

- persons with the purpose of ensuring the protection of national interests or in connection with the fulfillment of international obligations, representatives of diplomatic institutions and humanitarian missions leaving the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as their vehicles, cargo and other property," Nemchinov said, citing the decision of the Cabinet.

Exit from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol for other categories of foreigners and stateless persons is provided in line with approval by the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, the minister of the Cabinet of Ministers said.

Exit from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and entry to it of citizens of Ukraine, if there are humanitarian grounds, is provided under a decision of the head of the State Border Guard Service in agreement with the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.